BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

McDonald’s is offering consumers the opportunity to have a merry meal for Christmas.

The national fast-food restaurant is urging its many locations to remain open over the holidays, including Christmas.

Advertising Age obtained a memo that was issued to franchises on November 8 from Chief Operating Officer Jim Johannesen. It read, "Starting with Thanksgiving, ensure your restaurants are open throughout the holidays.

"Our largest holiday opportunity as a system is Christmas Day. Last year, company-operated restaurants that opened on Christmas averaged $5,500 in sales."

McDonald’s spokeswoman Lisa McComb said the company added about $36 million in sales this past Thanksgiving after 1,200 of its franchises stayed open for Thanksgiving, according to Businessweek. The company’s sales increased by 2.5 percent during November after dropping by 2.2 percent in October, their first global sales decline in nine years.

The individual restaurant owners make the final decision about opening for Christmas. But employees who get to work for the holiday shouldn’t look for a little extra in their stockings. According to Newser, a representative for McDonald's said, "When our company-owned restaurants are open on the holidays, the staff voluntarily sign up to work. There is no regular overtime pay."

McDonald’s began offering its own Christmas present to customers on Monday with the return of the McRib, according to The Huffington Post. The McRib was originally scheduled to be released this year on October 22, but was delayed due to warm fall weather.

The company’s memo indicated that its Thanksgiving sales increased because more customers were on the road at the time.

Is there no stopping franschises anymore when it comes to the most important holiday - supposed to celebrated with family and firends. Is it more important for the bottom line to look that good for your profit margin? Is this what it's come to? A sad state of affairs when an establishment can't close for 1 day out of the year - Just Sad!!!

It is so sad that all McDonald's is worried about is MONEY. Oh no, let's have our people work Christmas day to make us money, while we are all at home with our families, do I smell hypocrites. GREED, GREED, this is what our world revolves around. McDONALD'S SHOULD BE CLOSED ON CHRISTMAS !!

All employees who are scheduled to work on December 24th and 25th will report at those times. This is considered voluntary, but if you decide not to work your shift, your position will be terminated and another employee will take your place on the line. There is no holiday pay. There is no overtime pay. As we expect several employee no-shows, all unscheduled workers are required to be on-call and available for work if we choose to call you. If you decide not to accept the shift, you will be terminated.